Tin can container opener



April 7, 1959 L. D. BESECKER 2,

TIN CAN CONTAINER OPENER Filed Dec; 12, 1957 INIVENTOR. Lester D. Besecker United States Patent TIN CAN CONTAINER OPENER Lester D. Besecker, Ainsworth, British Columbia, Canada Application December 12, 1957, Serial No. 702,348

1 Claim. (CI. 3016) My invention relates to a combination container opener more particularly for use in performing the great variety of operations for forming various openings in tin can containers.

One object of my invention is to provide a container opener of this class having a hook adapted to engage a can rim and adjacent thereto a perforating point, both of which are secured to a handle by means of which one may manually form a desired opening in the top of a container.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of an arcuate bit edge on the hook of a container opener of this class which enables the operator to dispose the can opener at any desired angle to position the point to perforate the container in the sweep of the point scribed from an axis at the hook bit. It will thus be seen that the opener may be disposed radially with respect to a cylindrical container to form an opening spaced from the rim or the opener may be disposed to project, as it Were, on a chord of the cylindrical container to dispose the perforated point at the edge thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a combination container opener of this class which is very simple and economical in construction, efficient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part f this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of my combination container opener shown in operating position for forming a substantially rectangular pouring spout;

Figure 2 is a perspective view disposed in operating position, forming a circular opening in a tin can container adjacent to the rim thereof;

lsigure 3 is a perspective view of my improved opener; an

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the underside of my opener.

2,880,502 Patented Apr. 7, 1959 Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

My combination container opener is formed of a flat elongated bar 10 of sufficient strength and stiffness to accommodate the purpose for which it is to be used. Adjacent to one end, and along one edge thereof, the bar is provided with a hook portion 11 which has an elongated bit 12 extending laterally of the axis of the bar 10 and it will be noted particularly in Figures 2, 3, and 4 that the edge of the bit 12 is arcuate at 13. This permits the hook to engage the rim 14 of the tin can container 15 at any one of a number of angles, that is, with the opener disposed radially with respect to the container 15 so that it will form the triangular pouring spout as seen in Figure 1, or with the opener disposed on a chord of the container 15 as seen in Figure 2.

The bit 12 being arcuate provides sufficient hooking engagement with the rim 14 to permit puncture of the container top 16 by the conical point 17 carried by the opener adjacent to the hook. This conical point is of considerable importance, because very often it is desired to open a can such as a cream can with a small circular opening adjacent to the rim as seen at 18, and the conical point 17 is designed for this purpose. However, the point merges with diverging wings or flanges 19 so that a triangular opening 20 may be formed if desired by continuing the opening movement beyond the point Where the conical point 17 perforates the container body to bring the flanges or diverging wings 19 into operation to form the triangular opening as seen in Figure 1.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention, the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a combination container opener of the class described, an elongated bar having a hook portion adapted to engage the rim of a tin can container; said hook having an elongated bit disposed to be parallel with the rim of a can when in the operable position, the edge of said bit being arcuate to cooperate with the rim of a can at various angles relative thereto; a conical perforating point adjacent to said hook adapted to be projected into said tin can container; and divergent flanges merging with said conical point and diverging toward the hook whereby continued movement of the opener to project the point into said tin can container will form a substantially triangular pouring opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,232,123 Luppert Feb. 18, 1941 

